Vivek Agnihotri calls Sandeep Reddy Vanga his alter ego: ‘Has the right to tell stories from his point of view'

Hindustan Times

4 days ago

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri is standing up for Sandeep Reddy Vanga's cinema, calling him his alter ego. Despite criticism for portraying toxic masculinity in films like Kabir Singh and Animal, Agnihotri believes Vanga is simply showing the truth as he sees it. Vivek Agnihotri has defended Sandeep Reddy Vanga's cinema. (Instagram)
Vivek defends Sandeep
During an interview with Humans of Bombay, Vivek came forward to defend Sandeep's cinema, saying people criticise him because his movies work at the box office.
Vivek said, 'Sandeep Reddy Vanga is more like my alter ego in the industry. Just like me, he speaks fearlessly. People question Sandeep Reddy Vanga for toxic masculinity, but what is really happening in the society? Isn't it the truth? Does your society respect women? It is just his storytelling. He is showing the world to the people from his point of view."
Vivek highlighted the significance of perspective in storytelling, recalling the criticism Shekhar Kapur faced for making Bandit Queen from Phoolan Devi's point of view. He shared that the film's perspective eventually gained acceptance. He drew a parallel with his film, The Kashmir Files, which faced similar skepticism, going on to reveal that people reached out to him to mention that they resonated with the film after the Pahalgam attack.
Talking about Sandeep, Vivek said, 'I am not claiming that I believe in Vanga. I am just saying he has the right to tell stories from his point of view. People who are abusing him, are also using their right. But, at the end of the day, he is laughing looking at his bank.'
He concluded by stressing that Vanga wouldn't be criticised if his films weren't doing well at the box office. He said that if his movies fail, nobody will have an issue, adding, 'they are having an issue, because it is working for him."
Sandeep Reddy Vanga faces backlash
Vanga faced major backlash over his films Kabir Singh and Animal, with many people accusing them of glorifying toxic masculinity.
Animal ignited a debate upon its release, with critics and audiences divided over its portrayal of masculinity and violence. The Ranbir Kapoor-starrer went on to become a blockbuster, earning over ₹900 crore at the box office, even after it was slammed for promoting male toxicity.
Shahid Kapoor's Kabir Singh also worked well at the box office, earning over ₹300 crore. It was panned by critics for putting the spotlight on the toxicity of a relationship by showing a couple abusing each other. The film also featured Kiara Advani.
Vivek's next film
At the moment, Vivek is looking forward to the release of his upcoming directorial, titled The Bengal Files: Right to Life. It is believed that Vivek's film will delve into the politics of 1940s in Bengal. The film stars Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, and Govind Namdev, among others, in key roles and is scheduled to release in theatres on September 5.